


The Gift

by Arianna



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 09:34:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13924359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arianna/pseuds/Arianna
Summary: After the events of TSbyBS, Jim comes up with what he thinks would be the perfect gift to show Blair what their partnership means to him.  Only, things don't go as easily as he'd hoped.





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Written for The Sentinal Bingo Prompt: Gift  
> Prequel to First Star to the East
> 
> With special thanks to ShireDancer for collaborating on the original concept of this story.  
> 

Jim didn’t always find it so easy to come up with the perfect gift idea but he knew exactly what he wanted this time. Which was great because this gift was important, as important as any he’d ever given and it had to be right. Had to say everything that needed to be said in a symbolic way because there really were no words for what he had to convey. It had to represent all the time they’d spent together since, well, since the beginning as well as convey the unique nature of their partnership. And it had to indicate his hope that what they had would go on for the rest of their lives. That was REALLY important, especially now, necessary even, given all the shit they’d been through and how much of that shit had been because he’d been an ass. 

Okay, okay, so it wasn’t his fault and how else could he have been expected to react when he was caught by surprise at the worst possible times but, nevertheless, it had gotten out of hand and things had to be made right. 

Gnawing on his lip, he reflected that things had gone off the tracks months ago and he’d known it then but hadn’t understood what was happening and still didn’t, not entirely. Maybe he never would. But it had been bad. Worse than bad. There weren’t words for …. He had to drag in air to clear the constriction in his throat and push down the aching heaviness in his chest whenever he thought about what had happened. Not a lot of point on dwelling on it but this gift, well, it had to represent a kind of permanence, even an inevitability, maybe, to what they shared, of who and what they were to one another. 

No pressure or anything, he thought with a wry grin that quickly faded when he thought about what was at stake. Blair was putting as good a face on it as he could but the dark smudges under his eyes, the shadows that had dimmed his usual sparkle for months now, the weariness in how he held himself when he thought he was alone all told their own story. He hadn’t exactly jumped at Simon’s offer, either – hell, he hadn’t said much beyond he wasn’t sure he deserved the badge and, later, pointing out that it would be difficult for a self-professed liar to be accepted into the ranks as if he hadn’t been an overnight sensation on local television. Jim didn’t like where ideas like that might go especially as he’d seen Sandburg eying the ‘apartments for rent’ page in the paper the other night after Blair had thought he’d gone upstairs for the night.

So, something that was infinite, maybe even eternal, something representative of their unique partnership and reminiscent of all the time they’d spent together. Something real and tangible even if all it was couldn’t quite be held in one’s hand. Something whimsical that Sandburg would appreciate as both symbolic and really kinda cool. Something Blair would genuinely value and understand.

Most of all, something that involved his senses and Sandburg’s help in making them work.

Phone to his ear, Jim couldn’t resist a smug smile of success as he waited for the organization which was going to make this perfect gift possible to answer his call: the International Astrological Union (IAU). 

In response to the business-like voice that answered, identified the organization and asked why he was calling, Jim launched into his spiel. “Hi, yeah, thanks. I want to talk to someone about naming a particular star –”

“I’m sorry, sir, but this is an international organization of scientists and astronomers who collaborate on naming particular stars, when it’s decided that naming serves a particular and essential purpose. This is not a process that is open to the general public.”

Jim blinked. “Oh, but, uh, I’ve read about people having stars named for them.”

“Yes, sir, you’ve read about private sector organizations who name a star on your behalf for a specific sum of money, and forward you a star chart showing where the star is located. This is not an official process. Nor is there any guarantee that others won’t have the same star named something else, or even the same thing, in response to their request and payment. I’m afraid I can’t recommend any of these organizations to you –”

“Because they’re scams,” Jim cut in, shaking his head, his earlier euphoria fast shifting into disappointment. “You’re sure there’s no one I can talk to about getting a star named for the person who helped discover it?”

“Is this person one of the astrologers who identified the star?”

“Not exactly. It was an unofficial, er, amateur sighting but it led others to –”

“I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do to help you. Perhaps if you had the accredited discoverers make a petition on your behalf…. But I feel I must caution you against building up your hopes. The naming of astrological bodies is a complex and closely overseen process requiring international collaboration and agreement.”

“I see,” Jim sighed. “Thank you for your time today, for explaining it to me.”

Stymied for the moment, his original plan derailed, Jim hung up the phone and stared sightlessly across the living room, wondering what he could do now. The idea was too perfect – and too important – to just walk away from it. Besides, Sandburg would love it. 

More importantly, Blair deserved this. He’d earned it. More than earned it. Jim scrubbed his face as he thought of the gifts Blair had given him over the years and how rarely he’d reciprocated. Most of them were related to Blair’s role in helping him understand and manage his senses, so not exactly personal but … the last gift? Couldn’t get much more personal than throwing his own career under the bus to protect Jim’s secret.

Sighing heavily, he chewed on his lip and wondered if naming the star was vital to his plan. Maybe he could go ahead without an ‘official’ certificate – he sure wasn’t interested in buying something that was little more than a scam to play on the emotions and the imaginations of the people who paid good money for a lie. 

His gaze narrowing, he ran through his plan in his mind, and nodded. It could still work.

Now, if only the weather would cooperate. With a rueful shake of his head, he reflected that that would, in itself, be a miracle. 

 

Finis


End file.
